We’ve played 22 matches, won 11, drawn three and lost eight. I think we would have grabbed somebodies hand off if offered that at the beginning of the season when doom and gloom reigned supreme.
The table looks interesting too. At the top three teams (49, 50 and 51 points) are pretty much fighting for the title and hogging the Champions League places. Then three teams sitting six points behind – these three chasing the last Champions League spot and the solitary Europa League place. Then another gap down to Manchester United on 37 points, ourselves on 36 points and Southampton on 31. The bottom looks amazing with 11 teams spread between 18 and 24 points. So glad we are out of that.
So what could we hope to achieve this season? I think we are safe from relegation and another couple of wins would guarantee it. Looking up we are not going to catch the three at the top and we’re currently seven points off 4th place. If there was only one club to overhaul that would be doable. But there are four which make it harder, and less likely.
Where would we need to strengthen to make that charge? Looking at the table. We’ve scored 32 goal which lags behind the 53 scored by Liverpool, but only 36, 35 and 29 scored by Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham respectively. So a few more goals would not go amiss, but we are not lagging behind the others there. Similarly goals against. We have conceded 28 which is the same as Liverpool. The others have let in 27, 26 and 20. I think that the Williamson/Mbiwa partnership has looked good, but the absence of Mathieu Debuchy has disrupted that and switching M’biwa to full-back has weakened the defence. We need dedicated back up at right-back.
The way I see it we have three choices. See out the season, push for glory or prepare for next season. Seeing out the season is the easy option. Sell no-one, buy no-one and wait for the summer. Consolidate our top-eight position and see what happens.
Pushing for glory will appeal to some. Fourth place and Champions League football would be fantastic. Looking at PaddyPower, Liverpool are 10/11 to take the 4th spot. Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are 2/1 while Everton are 7/2 with ourselves pegged at 50/1. To finish in the top six we are still 12/1. So according to the bookies we would have to do something drastic to get some glory. It may be as simple as starting Sylvain Marveaux and Hatem Ben Arfa which would make some people happy. However, I suspect it would take more than that. We would need to strengthen at both ends of the field and hope that any new additions bed in immediately.
Which leads me to option three – prepare for next season. This season has already identified our strengths and weaknesses. So we could look at who we want to start next season. We definitely need a stronger bench, and we need to give our new players the rest of the season to bed in, as the lads did last term. We can let go now those who we know will be leaving anyway, Yohan Cabaye and Fabricio Coloccini spring to mind, and make sure we have a good pre-season and shoot for glory next season. Why is it always next season?
What would I do? Well get Nicholas Cortese in as Chairman ASAP. Let Joe go. I was a big fan of his at Wimbledon and not as disappointed with him here first time round as some, but Director of Football? Really? WHY?? Alan Pardew I don’t have a problem with, but there are others out there. I would clear out a few players and bring in three or four more. Time for recognising our core players and strengthening ready to move forward.
What would you do? Stick or Twist??
These so called agents will be sat at home twiddling their thumbs for the last 6 months…
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice , I hope not, can take losing him to PSG but not Manure ffs and those feckers can pay more than £20m. 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
That’ll do. See Sunderland get walloped here and then Man Utd battered by Man City at Wembley.
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim – I’d maybe take Henandez and £10m for Cabaye. But knowing our bunch it would Zaha and cash.
That said, I really don’t think it’s Cabaye that Man Utd need. I think Tiote is more the type of midfielder they are missing. That’s not me suggesting he go there by the way.
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY zahz has signed for Cardiff on loan mate so that ones out the window
icedog(Quote)
ZAHA
icedog(Quote)
Ice – when the hell did that happen?! 😕
I’m all over this transfer window me like 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY just today come on mate keep up lol,well he was having medical this morning so expect he’s signed by now 😉
icedog(Quote)
Ice – all I’ve seen is all this ***** about Mata and Anelka 🙄
I’ve been giving it some thought and I actually would prefer Siem De Jong to Cabella.
Sharpy17(Quote)
a bit out of jabba age bracket is he not,think he’s 29 mate
icedog(Quote)
I also think if toon sing de jong they will not sign Remy at end of his loan
icedog(Quote)
Ice – he’s only 24 mate. Luuk is 23.
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/siem-de-jong/profil/spieler_45509.html
I’m not convinced we will sign Remy anyway mate. Not coz we don’t want to but because I reckon he’ll be at a CL side.
I think De Jong will link up with Anita again and as a captain of Ajax, I think he will have a better mentality than Cabella. I think De Jong would be more of a leader within the team, where I think players like Cabella may go missing when the chips are down – if that makes sense.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice I am 99.9% sure Remy wont be here next season no matter what happens anyway
Big Dave(Quote)
Siem De Jong is class and no Ice he is only like 24. He is one of Ajax’s best players and can play in a load of different positions. Him Anita and Tiote in midfield would be amazing.
There is a few players from Ajax i would love us to get 🙁 Anderson and Fischer are stars of the future. They have a few top class defenders as well.
Cabella or De Jong i dont know enough about Cabella to judge it fairly but i agree sharpy. Cabella’s stats this season look pretty good though.
Santii(Quote)
sorry mate I thought he was 29,rags talking about l/pool trying to sign him,I must be thinking. of somebody else
icedog(Quote)
DAVE I think the same mate always did after what he’s said since being here.how did Busters first walk go,bet he loved it
icedog(Quote)
hahahaha heartbreak hahaha
Santii(Quote)
SANTII he is playing in a very poor team looks like they are going down which won’t help the lad,but french owners are two faced feekers to deal with,but sumit must be done as think cabaye is on his way out at end of season,would be good to get someone now to give them half a season to settle
icedog(Quote)
Sunderland scored only for united to score about 30 seconds later hahahaha penalties i think
Santii(Quote)
would hate to see scum at wembley 👿 👿
icedog(Quote)
From the statements they made the other night it sounds like a price was agreed the only disagreement has been when he will join us.
Everything them clowns have been saying though i am agreeing with you Ice the french chuckle brothers (only its father and son)
I have faith we will get someone though so i am happy enough 😀
I know you don’t so i can guess your frustration 😛
Santii(Quote)
Ice it wouldn’t be to bad to see City put 7 past them at Wembly 😀
Santii(Quote)
Gardner over the bar first pen lmao
Santii(Quote)
lol welbeck over the bar. This reminds me of the south park episode they are trying to lose a baseball game cause they dont want to go to the play offs 😀
Fletcher misses as well lmao this is unreal
Santii(Quote)
Ice he doesnt get his 1st walk till next mon he only got his final jab on mon this week so we have to give him a week.
But he is doing well with all his training up to now, except when he is with dede as the 2 just fight and play 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Ice – I think Cabella would be great in an Arsenal team where it’s free flowing expressive football and he’d be used to winning more than not.
But in our team were its more disciplined and nowhere near as expressive, and alot of wins are hard fought – I think he could be another Benny (maybe, that’s the impression I get)
De Jong would fit in better with the way we play I think. I think he’s a really intelligent player, and I think he’d score and create goals
Sharpy17(Quote)
Since it is likely Man City will win the League Cup and get Champions League via the league, does this mean Sunderland have made it to Europe next season?
funkyjesus(Quote)
I am pretty sure it is only the FA cup that happens FJ
Santii(Quote)
Good, that would be horrific.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Dave – what pup you been getting mate?
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY Dave got a true blue staff,must have cost a arm and leg,but chicken feed to dave 😀
icedog(Quote)
That was some semi final like lets hope Sunderland celebrate for two or three weeks of non stop drinking 😀
Santii(Quote)
Does it not mean that 6th in the league would get it? So that’s us aiming for 7th then. 😎 With zero ambition in the cups, and the mackems are off to Wembley. 😳
DJG(Quote)
you just know what the arseholes will be singing at SJP 👿 👿
icedog(Quote)
FJ ,No mate ,that would be the loser of the actual final
KIMTOON(Quote)
185* FA cup final
KIMTOON(Quote)
Reckon we could get Andy Carroll money for Cabaye from this shower. £35 million easy
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Sorry ice, the Mackem **** ******* have never stopped texting!!.
I hope those horrible ******* loose the final by double figures and get relegated!.
I hate going to bed annoyed 👿
Sleep well all 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Jammy mackem bastards…looks like they’ll stay up this year and get in the final! Only the league cup but still…Ah well City will smash em 😛
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie@189, They bloody better 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
NEWKIE
We’ve gotta play them still yet, and Poyet has taken the **** out of Pardew seemingly every time they’ve met. 🙁
DJG(Quote)
If City win League Cup, Europa place goes to 6th place, and down to 7th if two CL teams reach the FA cup final.
😎
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Current form guide – It pretty much matches up with our seasonal form! So dos that mean we are odds on to end up 8th 😯 😉
1 Man City W W W W W W
2 Tottenham W D W W W W
3 Chelsea D W W W W W
4 Arsenal D W W W W W
5 Man Utd W W W L W L
6 Everton W L W D W D
7 Liverpool W L L W W D
8 Newcastle W W L L L W
9 Sunderland D W D L W D
10 West Brom D D D W L D
11 Southampton L W L L W D
12 Crystal Palace L W L D L W
13 Fulham L W L W L L
14 Aston Villa L L D W L D
15 Norwich D L L D L W
16 Hull D L W L L L
17 West Ham L L D L W L
18 Stoke W L L D L
19 Swansea L L D L L L
20 Cardiff L L L D L L
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie I think it means we’ll finish around mid table 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
upper middle, BD! 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Yeah but it’s still mid table 😉
Big Dave(Quote)